Most people getting married are not professional models and are not used to being in front of the camera, but don’t worry! That doesn’t mean you can’t have beautiful wedding photos that you will cherish forever. We created this list to help you plan your wedding photo moments, to help you get the most photogenic wedding photos and most out of your photographer.
1. Make a pinterest board of the photos you want
This may sound silly, but the easiest way to make sure that you and your photographer are on the same page with what your photo vision is to create a pinterest board of the types of photos you want. Some people want more detailed shots of their wedding dress and accessories, some people want only posed group shots, others only want candid shots of everything and often times there is one or two dream photos. The best way to communicate exactly what you want is by finding examples to show your photographer.
2. Pick a photographer that you vibe with
When deciding on a photographer, most people don’t realize that the person they will be spending the most time with their wedding is actually their photographer. The photographer will most likely be with you from the start of your day till the finale and every moment in between, so make sure you choose a photographer that you vibe with.
*At Sea to Sky Weddings, we believe there’s a healthy balance between being your #1 hypeman and being a fly on the wall with a camera.
3. Choose a hairstyle that will go with your venue
This tip doesn’t matter as much for inside weddings, but for outside weddings this is crucial. Some questions you want to ask yourself. Will it be hot? Windy? Humid? If your outdoor location is any of those things then you might want to go for an updo, or a hairstyle that pulls your hair away from your face. The last thing any bride wants is sweaty stringy hair in their face for their photos. This also helps for the first kiss photos because your hair won’t be blocking your face or blowing in your face (or anyone else’s face). Make sure you tell your hairstylist when planning your wedding hair what sort of environment your ceremony will be held in, so they can prepare the best hairstyle that will stay put.
This photo is great for tips 3 and 4! You can’t go wrong with pulled back hair that doesn’t obstruct the view of the brides face or get blown around in the wind.
4. Practice your first kiss (AKA Don’t Block the Bride)
The first kiss photo is classic! This may seem like another silly tip, but definitely practice your first kiss! When couples go in for their first kiss, usually only one person’s face is in full view of the audience/photographer. The bride generally spends more money and time on her overall look, so most couples prefer the bride to be featured in this moment. Practice your first kiss so that the groom does not block the bride’s beautiful face during this shot.
*This is a good tip to have in mind for all kissing photos throughout the day.
5. Put markers down for the bridal party
A basic concept of most photography is symmetry. One thing that irks us as photographers is that bridesmaids naturally tend to stand close together in front of the audience whereas the groomsmen stand far apart from each other, leading to an uneven photo. This can be distracting in photos of the ceremony. A super easy fix to this is to mark each person's position at the altar during the rehearsal. If you are having an outdoor wedding we suggest couples use golf tees. If it is an indoor ceremony then stickers work just fine. I promise, this super simple trick will really enhance the photos of the ceremony.
6. Do: First Look and Bridal Party Photos Before the Ceremony
Any nice photos of the bridal party and/or immediate family with the bride and groom need to happen before the ceremony. This means that couples usually have “first look” photos of the bride and groom seeing each other for the first time and then having bridal party and family photos after that, but before the ceremony. A first look often times is a nice moment for the couple to just relax and be with each other before the ceremony amongst the craziness as well.
What happens to a lot of couples who takes photos after the ceremony is they are so relieved to have the ceremony over with, they decide they no longer care about that pinterest board full of beautiful photos they will cherish forever and would rather celebrate with the family and friends all around. The bridal party is usually hungry, ready to party, and having to gather immediate family members is like herding cats. The easiest way to avoid this situation is to do a first look. Take the photos you absolutely want before the ceremony and then if you want more photos after the ceremony then by all means take more photos after the ceremony. This way, it ensures you will get the photos you hired the photographer to take in the first place.
7. Have officiant ask audience to keep their phones put away
This is totally dependent on the couple, but most of the photographer's photos are going to be taken from behind the audience. If everyone in the audience has their phone up recording every moment of the ceremony, it can block the photos the professional photographer is hired to take. It’s especially common while the bride walks down the aisle and during the first kiss. Most weddings we have photographed, the couple will ask the officiant to kindly ask the audience to keep their phones put away during the ceremony.
8. Have officiant move to the side during the first kiss
Another tip is to ask the officiant to move aside during the first kiss. Like I mentioned earlier, the first kiss is usually one of the photos that most couples cherish the most. During the ceremony, the officiant is standing between the bride and groom. Having the officiant move during this moment will create a cleaner photo that is more focused on the bride and groom and not the officiant making a funny face or blinking in the background.
*If you have a longgggg kiss it gives the photographers and videographer more time to nail the shot & you’ll get better images!
9. If you want a photo of everyone in attendance, do it right after the ceremony
A more recent photo trend is getting a photo of the entire attendance to your wedding. These photos are fun to use as thank you cards or also just a sentimental reminder of all of the people you cherish enough to celebrate your wedding day with. The best timing to take this photo is immediately after the ceremony when the audience is making their way to the reception and are usually already pretty clustered.
Shout out to Zach & Jessie for listening to all of our photo tips!
10. Enjoy your day
This last tip is an obvious one, but don’t forget to enjoy your day! At every wedding, something will go wrong, and although it can be stressful, remember that you are there to celebrate your love for each other with your family and friends. It should be fun and it will be a day you will never forget.
We hope you enjoyed our top 10 tips for a photogenic wedding. If you have any questions or comments on any of our tips feel free to comment below, or feel free to contact us on our contact page here.